Courage to canter! Advice & encouragement!

[WillowTree21]

Hi All,

I have recently taken on an ex racer, 11 year old & hasn’t raced for 7 years.

My question is how would you go about cantering in an open space? I’m not sure what he would be like.

Just general advice on how you would go about it & what advice you would give to someone who is a bit nervous about it all!

I am going to start having regular lessons & would like to get cantering in the school sound first, but just wondering everyone experiences.

Thanks,

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would go in the school first and see how he goes then have a quiet hack with a sensible horse, all horses are different some find open spaces highly exciting some are just fine but I would take it slowly at first just so you know what your dealing with.

 

[Elno]

The most amazing canter I've ridden has been on an ex racer...

Try it in school first and put a neck rope on the horse (either a martingale-loop or an old stirrup leather) as an extra safety precaution. I always rode mine with it and if it happened to go too fast for my liking I would just gently pull on it instead of risking to pull on the mouth and accidently send him into an even higher gear.

 

[HeyMich]

Yep, as above. Use a neck strap and practice in the school with an instructor, do lots of transitions in and out of canter so you know his buttons well. Then go on a hack with a sensible other horse, trot up a hill and put in a few strides of canter at the end. Then build up to a few more strides of canter each time, until you do the whole way in canter. As you get more confident, you can go in front of the other horse and eventually out by yourself. Good luck, and enjoy!

 

[Wheels]

Yep, as above. Use a neck strap and practice in the school with an instructor, do lots of transitions in and out of canter so you know his buttons well. Then go on a hack with a sensible other horse, trot up a hill and put in a few strides of canter at the end. Then build up to a few more strides of canter each time, until you do the whole way in canter. As you get more confident, you can go in front of the other horse and eventually out by yourself. Good luck, and enjoy!

This pretty much

 

[WillowTree21]

Brill thanks everyone, this was kind of what I was thinking so glad you all agree!

I don’t want to rush things but also can’t wait until we both have the confidence to be able to canter out hacking or go on fun rides!

 

[Dasher66]

Racehorses are trained to stop when the rider sits up and drops the reins - be aware that might not be what you are used to.

 

[Trouper]

Racehorses are trained to stop when the rider sits up and drops the reins - be aware that might not be what you are used to.

Yes - you have to think in reverse for the aids! @Elf On A Shelf could probably give you some good tips - just don't read too many of her "Day in the life of a work rider" posts first!!!!!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

If the horse hasn't raced for 7 years I am assuming he will have had a lot of retraining? So you may be worrying over nothing.

But if he does revert into racehorse mode first and foremost Don't Panic! Don't scream, don't screech, don't worry. That will make things 10x worse. Most will generally stop to a lob when nearing the end of a field or the top of a hill. Just stand up in your stirrups and just have a loose contact on the reins. The more you pull the more they pull. And use your voice. A lot of racehorses respond very well to calm, steady woahs - elongate the word rather than short sharp woah woah woah.

If you do find yourself in difficulty pulling up them a jaw breaker is what you need. Plant one hand on the neck/withers and pull back with the other one hand, don't jab, don't drop the contact, pull on one rein very, very hard and they will generally stop. If your arm gets sore then swop for the other one. But most will stop quite quickly with one of these. They are a last resort though.

Remember most racehorses are not used to people doing sitting canter so when you set off come up out of your saddle for the last few strides of trot before popping into canter.

You are quite probably worrying over nothing but understanding how to ride a racehorse means you have hand the battle won.

 

[WillowTree21]

If the horse hasn't raced for 7 years I am assuming he will have had a lot of retraining? So you may be worrying over nothing.

But if he does revert into racehorse mode first and foremost Don't Panic! Don't scream, don't screech, don't worry. That will make things 10x worse. Most will generally stop to a lob when nearing the end of a field or the top of a hill. Just stand up in your stirrups and just have a loose contact on the reins. The more you pull the more they pull. And use your voice. A lot of racehorses respond very well to calm, steady woahs - elongate the word rather than short sharp woah woah woah.

If you do find yourself in difficulty pulling up them a jaw breaker is what you need. Plant one hand on the neck/withers and pull back with the other one hand, don't jab, don't drop the contact, pull on one rein very, very hard and they will generally stop. If your arm gets sore then swop for the other one. But most will stop quite quickly with one of these. They are a last resort though.

Remember most racehorses are not used to people doing sitting canter so when you set off come up out of your saddle for the last few strides of trot before popping into canter.

You are quite probably worrying over nothing but understanding how to ride a racehorse means you have hand the battle won.

Great advice thank you!